Andrea The Beginning (Holy Trinity, #1)

by Adriana Brinne

  The Nicolasi name is notorious for being one of the wealthiest families in the country but also because of the rumors. The news outlets are always reporting about the great Benedetto Nicolasi and the rumors about the family dealing in criminal activities and how they launder the money to make it seem like their businesses are legit but also to fool civilians into thinking they’re respectable people. What I was not aware of is that they shared control over the city with two other crime families. Apparently, a lot of Made Men fell during a war over Detroit territory and the three families came to an agreement to share the city but under the control of the Nicolasi family. I know all of this because my mother shared a lot during her last days with me, but I also did my homework before crossing over to enemy territory.

  My mother used to say, “Don’t play their games sunshine, play them.” She knew what she was talking about too. She had nothing when she had me, just a broken heart and a three-month-old baby. She started as a salesgirl at one of Manhattan’s most influential fashion boutiques. From there, she was discovered by a modeling agency and the rest, as they say, is history. Mom used to tell me how a lot of people tried to sabotage her and her brand, but she always played it smart and was graceful.

  “Don’t ever let them drag you down to their level, my love, it’s quite filthy there.” she would remind me.

  A loud bang right next to where I'm standing interrupts the sad memories that consume me every time, I let my mind wander to thoughts of when she was alive.

  The loud noise was caused by three guys that I don't know all that well but my first impressions of them was...well shit.

  Right next to my new locker, the guy that I’ve met at the gathering, Lucan I think that’s his name, is holding some kid by the throat, all the while my twin cousins stand by and let it happen. The dude is sobbing so embarrassingly loud that everyone stops what they're doing to witness the confrontation between the four of them.

  Fallon told me that she moved from California to Detroit when she was a sophomore, but for personal reasons she went back to California in the middle of the school year. Now, she's back for senior year and she’s spilling all the hot tea regarding Lucan’s reign of terror in this place. She told me how everyone bows down to him and the female population falls on his dick every chance they get.

  I found out he is the captain of the chess club. I would have never pegged him for the chess-playing type. Chess players need to develop a high degree of discipline to learn and play the game. Lucan seems like the type of guy that loves control, I guess that’s why he enjoys the game. What does surprise me is the fact that he is Holy Trinity’s student body president. I don’t see him caring about anything other than himself, but maybe I’m just being a judgmental bitch. Who knows?

  “I didn't do it, man, you have my word.” I hear the kid’s frantic shouts. There’s something about the way he’s acting that screams guilty to me.

  Lucan slaps him across the face and laughs loud enough to attract the attention of more students. “Like your word means shit.” He slaps him hard across the face again and the kid sobs louder.

  Jesus, this is sad to watch.

  Lucan steps away from the kid and Enzo takes his place. Grabbing the kid by the throat and shoving his head back into the wall of lockers. Lorenzo asks: “Did you do it, you sick fuck?” he shouts. Not caring that he’s making a scene in the middle of the hall. “You’re just making it worse for yourself, you're dead anyway bitch, so just admit it and let's be done with it.”

  If I were a different type of girl, I would step forward and help this kid, but the crazed look in his eyes makes me believe he's guilty of whatever they're accusing him of.

  Suddenly there’s a buzz inside my blazer’s pocket. Emilio is calling me, but I send it straight to voicemail. I'll return the call later, I'm sure it’s nothing urgent.

  I shove my phone back into my pocket and start to move when I stumble into the waiting arms of an asshole.

  Shit.

  “Did you enjoy the show principessa?” —Lucan whispers in my ear as he corners me until my back hits a wall. — “Did it get your nice and wet?”, he says mockingly. The pig must think his dirty words have any effect on me.

  “Nah, three against one fights don't really impress me.” I sass. I hear Fallon snort in the background.

  A locker slams shut, and the kid runs past us like his life depends on it, I guess it does.

  “Yo, Volpe, catch you later.” From my peripheral vision I see Lorenzo grab some random girl and take off like he was not just threatening another student’s life just a minute ago.

  The students clear the hallway and move on as if nothing ever happened. Only Valentino and Fallon remain, well besides Lucan.

  I completely ignore him and take out the books for the next class, which is English literature. I'm already late and it's my first day.

  Oh, what a great first impression that will make.

  I was too busy trying to ignore Lucan that I almost missed the way my cousin Valentino looked at Fallon with so much animosity, as if he loathes the simple fact that she breathes the same air as him. There is definitely something going on between those two and by the looks of it, nothing good.

  A man clears his throat, and it serves as an excuse to leave and avoid another second of this awkward exchange between my new friend and my cousin.

  The someone that cleared his throat as a warning is my new lit teacher. “Do you like wasting people’s time, Miss Nicolasi?” How nice. There are four students here and he felt like singling me out.

  “I suggest you all head to your respective classrooms if you don't want detention for the next three Saturdays. Move along now.” My new teacher stands there waiting for everyone to clear the hall.

  Valentino is the first to move, quickly disappearing to his first class of the day while Fallon waits for me outside the door of the class we share.

  I start to follow her when Lucan blocks my path with a smirk that promises retribution.

  Mom always warned me about boys like him, the ones that hide their evil intentions behind a wicked, sinful smile.

  She fell for one of those and look at what it got her, a bleeding heart, and a broken mind.

  This is going to be a long-ass day.

  Sette

  EVIL

  “You call it ‘pepper spray.’ I call it bitch repellent.” – Regina Mills

  LUCAN

  All my life, I’ve been respected by everyone around me. At an early age, grown men knew one day they would answer to me. At first, they feared the consequences of fucking with the Volpe heir and as I got older, they feared what I had become.

  Tommaso Volpe’s son.

  The feeling of making others bend to my will is exhilarating and addictive.

  I thrive on it.

  I was high on that feeling when I was beating the absolute shit out of Logan Beauregard, that sick fuck. He thought he could get away with hurting our girl and he wouldn’t suffer the consequences of the atrocious act he committed against one of our own. I wasn’t planning on confronting him with so many witnesses around, but he provoked me and fuck it I couldn’t hold myself back.

  He will get what’s coming to him.

  The look on Andrea’s face while I was beating the absolute shit out of Beauregard, was something I was not expecting. The bitches in this place tend to shy away from danger when shit gets too real for them. They want to tame the bad boy until they come face to face with the sick and deprived man. Not the Nicolasi principessa. I could see the disgust written all over her gorgeous face, but I also saw a hint of excitement and curiosity in her eyes.

  I can’t ignore the fact that there’s something about her that calls out to every dark part of me, bringing out every twisted and animalistic instinct that I possess. Andrea is no pushover, unlike every other bitch inside these halls. She’s hot as fuck too and that’s a problem for me.

  The first time I saw her, she was wearing a short black dress and a too big for her je
an jacket that hid all her curves. The outfit was a big fuck you to the families and although it pissed me the fuck off how she disrespects us in our own city, at the same time all I wanted was to push her against the wall in front of everyone and fuck her until she learned her place. One thing I learnt about her in our brief, but memorable encounter is that the Nicolasi principessa hides behind sarcastic remarks and all that sass. She can hide all she wants, but I see her. The darkness lurks behind that picture-perfect smile that does not quite reach her honey brown eyes.

  I stand back and watch as she grabs her books and heads for her next class with Fallon. I need to talk to Val. I don’t know what he’s thinking and feeling after seeing Fallon for the first time in two years. He completed his task and now she’s back in town.

  I follow them without being noticed. For some unknown reason, I can’t get enough of this girl.

  I need to stop this before it’s too late, but I can’t help myself.

  I need more of her.

  She’s just a job.

  She’s just a…fucking job.

  ANDREA

  I take my seat in the back of the classroom as the three dumb blondes strut through the door.

  Of-fucking-course.

  They move to sit next to me but end up swiftly turning towards the other side of the room. I look behind me and find Lucan staring them down.

  It baffles me that people really do fear him. Yeah, he might be intimidating to some, but to me, he is just some entitled rich kid with a superiority complex.

  He chooses the empty seat behind me. I can feel his gaze on the back of my head. He’s almost breathing down my neck.

  As soon as the class begins, the teacher wants everyone to go ahead and introduce themselves to the rest of the class.

  One of the botched blondes goes first.

  I think Mr. Gonzalez called her Cassia.

  She goes on and on about herself and what she did for the summer. I’m having trouble staying awake and paying attention.

  From the looks of it, so is the teacher.

  About ten minutes pass before she’s finally done and it’s my turn to introduce myself to the class.

  I rise from my seat and face my new classmates, all the while avoiding making eye contact with the devil himself. I’m used to this, so I’m not nervous at all. Just say some basic info about yourself Andrea and sit down. That is it.

  “My name is Andrea, but some call me Drea and I just moved here from New York and …” I get interrupted by an annoying, nasally voice. “Didn’t your mother just recently die?”

  My heart sinks.

  I witnessed firsthand just how these kids are assholes, but this is just evil.

  “How about you shut up Cassia, before those pictures you so nicely sent me, end up in the hands of everyone you know.” The last person I would imagine coming to my defense, just did. By the look of confusion on everyone's faces, I'm not the only one surprised by his actions.

  I notice Lucan staring at her with nothing with disgust written on his face. I’m pretty sure if looks could kill, this Cassia chick would be dead and buried six feet under by now.

  She stares back at him with betrayal written all over her face, but she gets the message and shuts up.

  However, the damage has been done.

  “Umm, yes, who’s next?” Mr. Gonzalez nervously asks the class.

  I take my seat and my face turns to stone; I don't want them, nor do I need them to know that her words wounded me just like she intended. I can handle their snarky remarks and bitchy attitudes, even comments about my appearance and how I’m a bastard. I can endure anything, except catty remarks about mom. Her rude question reminds me that my world is gone and buried.

  “Hey there rainbow, smile.”, she would always say that when I was sad. She’d tell me time and time again that I brought color to her dark days.

  I can still hear her sweet voice in my head, but it does nothing to ease the pain.

  She took all colors from my life when she left.

  Otto

  AWAY FIGHTING DRAGONS

  “You don’t do the right thing for a reward. You do it because it’s right.” – Mr. Gold

  ANDREA

  My mind keeps replaying my first day at the academy. Not one thing went my way. Okay, I’m being dramatic. Fallon happened, and I am so grateful that I met her. She’s the real deal, that one. I’m glad I met someone somewhat normal in that place where half the student body population seems brain dead.

  Well, she is normal by my standards.

  She is also down to earth, smart, and, well I just love her sarcastic nature and dark sense of humor.

  Other than her, there is nothing remotely pleasant about my time in the academy. None of the classes interest me, the teachers seem intimidated by teen assholes with money, and my classmates? All self-centered, narcissistic brats that only care about their appearance and their lavish lifestyles.

  I should not be so harsh, but after what that brainless botched Barbie said about my mother in class, I have every right to be a judgmental bitch.

  I’m currently writing our first paper for Lit class. Mr. Gonzalez asked us to write a five-page paper on our most prized possession. He was mad after the scene Cassia, Lucan and I caused in the middle of his class, so he gave us the assignment as punishment.

  I’m almost done with the paper about my most prized possession, my mother’s necklace. She gave it to me before she died, and I treasure it dearly.

  There’s a knock at the door just a second before Benedetto announces himself.

  It’s strange because in the week we’ve been living under the same roof, he has never come up to my room.

  “May I come in, cara mia,” it’s so weird that such kind and polite words come out of this ruthless and deceitful man.

  “Sure, go ahead,” I reply. I cannot for the life of me figure out his intentions. Sometimes I feel like he genuinely wants me here but other times I feel like I’m just a pawn in a sick twisted game.

  Benedetto takes a seat on the love seat next to my bed. “I know this is a difficult transition for you, but you’ll learn to love it here,” he tells me leaving no room for argument.

  I stay quiet because what can I say? He must know I am not staying here for long.

  God, this is so awkward.

  I don’t know this man.

  “You remind me so much of him,” —he says while looking at me, with a small smile on his face. — “Mio figlio.” My son.

  I only know a few words in Italian and mio figlio is one of the few I understand.

  “My dad?” I ask. “I don’t know much about him, just the stories my mom used to tell me.” I face him. “Will you tell me about him?” I genuinely want to know more about the mystery that is my father. I can’t leave this place without at least knowing more about the man that broke my mother’s heart and consequently broke mine when he left us. Mom never showed me a picture of him and there were none around our house. It was like she was keeping him all to herself. I never really understood why she made the decision to keep him a secret, but I trusted my mother blindly, so I never questioned her choices.

  “Your father was always an inquisitive and fearless child. Il mio bambino was always getting into trouble and almost gave me a couple of hundred heart attacks when he was growing up.”– he chuckles and I can see the love he feels for my father, just by the adoring look in his eyes. He opens an old journal and hands me a photo of a small child. The small child looks a lot like Uncle Cassius. The same blonde hair and big blue eyes. The kid is frowning at whoever is behind the camera.

  Yeah, that’s definitely Uncle Cassius.

  He was a cute kid, even now he still looks the same as in this picture. “Why are you showing me a photo of Uncle Cassius?” I ask.

  He chuckles. “No, mia cara, this is your father, Demetrio.” Benedetto says.

  He notices the shocked and confused expression on my face and frowns. “You did know your papa was Cassius’s twin, d
idn’t you?”

  That’s why mom never showed me a picture of my father. He had a twin. I don’t get why she would keep this a secret from me.

  “Ah, no.” I shake my head and clear my thoughts, before continuing. “This is the first time I see a photograph of my dad.”

  Benedetto frowns and hands me the photo. “Keep it. He would want you to have a piece of him.” I take the photo from him and stare at it.

  As much as I try to hide it, my father’s abandonment still hurts like hell. The little girl in me that used to keep the letters he used to send my mother under her pillow and told her friends that her dad was away fighting dragons. That girl is broken because as much as my mom filled my life with magic and love, there was one hole in my heart she could never fill. That hollow part of me was blindly waiting for her father to fix it, to love her.

  Now it is too late. I not only lost my mother, but I also lost a father without ever really having him.

  Benedetto keeps telling me stories about my father and I see a part of him I didn’t see before. Yeah, he’s the boss of three families and a businessman, but today I saw the father. A father who has buried his wife and his beloved son. A son he clearly loved more than life itself. I don’t know why he doesn’t talk with this kind of love about Cassius and the twins, but I’ll find out soon.

  He gets up from the love seat and heads for the door, before he turns to leave, I ask him: “Do you think, umm, you can tell me more about my dad? Maybe, another day?” I don't trust him and I’m sure he’s hiding something from me.